SpaceX President Defends Musk, Calls Sexual Harassment Allegations False

Gwynne Shotwell, President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of SpaceX

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Amid reports that Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, was sued by a SpaceX crew member for sexual harassment and that the settlement money was paid using company funds, Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX, defended him, stating she believes the allegations are false.

According to U.S. economic media Business Insider on the 23rd (local time), Shotwell sent an email to employees on the 20th saying, "Personally, I believe the allegations are false. Not because I work for Elon, but because I have worked with him for 20 years and have never heard anything similar to these allegations." She added, "Anyone who knows Elon as well as I do knows that he would not engage in the inappropriate behavior he is accused of."

Shotwell also stated, "SpaceX has a zero-tolerance policy for any kind of harassment," emphasizing, "We believe everyone at SpaceX deserves to be respected and treated with dignity, and all harassment claims are taken very seriously. Regardless of who is involved, the HR team thoroughly investigates all allegations and takes appropriate disciplinary action."

Earlier, foreign media reported that in 2016, Musk allegedly groped a female crew member’s leg and demanded sexual acts on a SpaceX private jet bound for London, UK. The crew member formally raised the issue with the company two years later in 2018, and Musk and SpaceX reportedly paid $250,000 (approximately 320 million KRW) in settlement money.

Musk denies the allegations. He told Business Insider, which first reported the story, "There is more to this story, and it is a politically motivated hit piece." After the report was published, he again denied the allegations on Twitter, stating, "This is completely untrue."